Conversation Circles Help Teach English at Local Libraries

ST. CLOUD -- Great River Regional Library is using a grant to help local residents learn English.

Library Communications and Development Specialist Abby Faulkner says they've been offering Conversation Circles at a number of their branches for the past few months.

Primarily at our St. Cloud public library will be Somali speakers, at certain branches like Cold Spring and Melrose they're probably going to be Spanish, and they get together for about an hour and they have conversations that are rooted in practical topics.

The Conversation Circles meet every Friday morning at the St. Cloud Public Library, every Wednesday in Melrose, and then once a month in both Cold Spring and Waite Park.

We have a couple of women who have worked at the library for quite a while and both of them have a background in ESL, so they've taught adult learners at other organizations.

Great River Library received a nearly $90,000 grant in February from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.